Traffic safety improvements at the intersection of Buffaloe Road & New Hope Road are making an impact.
New Hope is a major road running north-south, carrying 28,500 vehicles daily. Buffaloe road runs east-west, with an average of 15,500 vehicles per day. These two roads intersect in northeast Raleigh, north of Marsh Creek Park.
This intersection has consistently been identified as a location of concern. Between 2017 and 2022, there were 5 crashes resulting in serious injury. Tragically, there was a fatal crash in 2022.
In 2022, a developer built new crosswalks across the south and east legs of the intersection. They also installed pedestrian signals and refuge islands. This will help residents safely access bus stops, neighborhoods, and a grocery store.
In May 2023, The City of Raleigh’s Vision Zero program adjusted the signal to improve safety. Due to many crashes involving left turning vehicles, staff worked to provide fully protected left turns at all four approaches of the intersection. Drivers who want to turn left now see a green arrow and will not be able to turn left across moving traffic.
There were also frequent crashes related to red light running. In September 2023, retroreflective backplates were added to the traffic signals to improve visibility. Backplates are a proven safety countermeasure which have been proven to reduce crashes due to red light running.
We performed a before and after study to assess whether these safety improvements were effective. We only have 14 months of data after the improvements were complete, so the conclusions we can draw are limited. However, the results are very positive. There were large decreases in annualized total crashes and crashes causing injuries. The severity of crashes is much lower - there have been no fatal crashes and no crashes which caused serious injury. The results are summarized in the table below.
Study Information
| BEFORE IMPROVEMENTS | AFTER IMPROVEMENTS | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study Dates | 5/1/2018 - 4/30/2023 | Study Dates | 10/1/23 - 12/31/2024 | Percentage Change |
| Study Duration (years) | 5 | Study Duration | 1.25 | |
| Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) | 43,000 | Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT) | 44,000 | +1. percent |
| Severity Index* | 5.76 | Severity Index* | 3.56 | -38 percent |
*Severity index is a measure of how severe crashes are at the intersection. A higher number means that crashes are more likely to result in injuries.
Crash Summary (Annualized)
| BEFORE IMPROVEMENTS | AFTER IMPROVEMENTS | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crash Type | Crashes Per Year | Crash Type | Crashes Per Year | Percent Change |
| Total Crashes | 33.4 | Total Crashes | 20.8 | -38 percent |
| Fatal Crashes | 0.2 | Fatal Crashes | 0 | -100 percent |
| Serious Injury Crashes | 1 | Serious Injury Crashes | 0 | -100 percent |
| Minor & Possible Injury Crashes | 9.2 | Minor & Possible Injury Crashes | 7.2 | -22 percent |
| Total Non-Fatal Injury Crashes | 10.2 | Total Non-Fatal Injury Crashes | 7.2 | -29 percent |
These safety upgrades were implemented by the City of Raleigh’s Signals Group, the Vision Zero Program, and private developers in coordination with the City’s Development Review Group. Learn more about the City of Raleigh’s Vision Zero program.
